1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a plug and receptacle connector assembly, and more particularly, to a new and improved plug and receptacle connector assembly for high density, flat type cables in which the distance between the center-lines of adjacent conductors is extremely small, such as 0.025 inches.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modular type plug and receptacle connectors are used in the telephone and digital electronics industries to electrically interconnect telephone or telecommunication cables. The plug is typically attached to an end of a cable and includes contacts which pierce the insulation surrounding the conductors in the cable so as to be coupled to the conductors in the cable. On the other hand, the receptacle may be adapted to be mounted on a printed circuit board or the like. The receptacle includes a receptacle housing having a plurality of contacts. One end of each of the contacts forms a spring contact extending into a plug receiving cavity of the housing and the other end of each contact forms a tail portion which is inserted through holes in the printed circuit board such that the receptacle contacts can be connected to electric circuits on the printed circuit board. When the plug is inserted into the plug receiving cavity of the receptacle housing, the plug contacts slidingly mate with the spring contact portions of the receptacle contacts. As a result, the plug and receptacle form a interface between the conductors in the cable and the circuits on the printed circuit board.
The cable to which the plug is connected may be a flat type cable having a plurality of conductors, each of which is surrounded by insulation. The insulated conductors are in turn surrounded by a shield member and an outer jacket to form the conductors as a cable. One example of such a plug and receptacle connector assembly which can be used with such a cable is disclosed in Triner U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,566 assigned to the assignee of the present application.
In certain types of applications, high density flat type cables are used. These cables have a center-line to center-line spacing between the conductors of approximately 0.025 inches. For example, such cables may be used with printers and computer peripherals. This center-line to center-line spacing is significantly less than the center-line to center-line spacing of cables which might be used with the plug and receptacle assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,566. When the center-line to center-line spacing becomes so small, the spacing between adjacent contacts in the plug and receptacle is decreased. As a result, the distance between adjacent contacts in the plug and receptacle is not large enough for the air between the contacts to maintain sufficient insulation between adjacent contacts.